The Grenada gazette., 1887-11-19
q LincoLil As LlIAly!YfN

e ~ - 49, s~--s = ~ = ~.
J Among the most prominent g -
uncoln's traih was his tender-haartee
ness which during the war often cve'
rode discipline and caused great e 2
} h.rrassment to the army ofiiciali
Jnstice was his, strongly tempere'
with mercy. Ward II. Lamon. iormerl
! Mr. Lincoln's law partner. relates q
J incident in Mr.. Lincoln's law practice
wears before he attained the Presidency
that we'll illustrates the infexibie con
scientiousness which was the rule Q
Lincoln's whole life: :.
j Although Mr.. Lincoln was my senio
by eighteen years, in one imporfan
particular / certainly was, in q marvel
| ous degree, his acknowledged superior
4 One Of the first things ! learned. afte
1 getting fairly under way as lawyer
was to charge we'll for legal services
4 a branch Of tho practice that Mr.. Lin
coin never could learn. In fact, tn
LAWYERS of the circuit often complained
| that his fees were not at all commen'
| surate with the service rendered. He
at length left that branch Of the bust
ness wholly to me; and to my tender
mercy clients were turned over to be
| slaughtered according to my popular
| and more advanced ideas Of the dignity
of our profession. This soon led to
serious and shocking embarrassment.
Early in our practice q gentleman
named Scott placed IN our hands q
case of some Importance. He had q
demented sister who possessed prop.
terty to the amount Of $4,000. mostly
in cash. A conservator, a. he was
called, had bcen appointed to take
charge of the estate, and we were en-
ployed to resist a motion to remove the
conservator. A designing adventurer
had become acquainted with the girl.
knowing that she had money, and
sought to marry her-hence the mo-
tion. Scott, the brother and conserva-
tor, before we entered upon the case,
Insisted that l should fix the amount Of
the fee. l told him that it would be
$3.50, adding, however, that he had
better wait; it might not give us much
trouble, and in that event . lesser
amount would do. He agreed at once
to pay $3.50, as he expected hard con-
test over the motion. The case was
tried inside Of twenty minutes; our
success was complete; Scott was sat
isfied and cheerfully paid over the
money inside the bar. Mr.. Lincoln
looking on. Scott then went out and
Mr.. Lincoln asked: "What did you
charge that manp" I told him $3.50.
Said he: "Lamon, that is all wrong.
The service was not worth that sum;
give him back Mt least half Of it."
I protested that the fee was settled
in advances that Scott was perfectly
satisfied and so expressed himself.
THAT may be-" retorted Mr.. Lin
coin, with look of distress and of un-
displeasure; "but I am not
satisfied. This is positively wrong.
Go, call him back and return half the
money at loast, or l will not receive
one cent Of It for my SHARE"
did 60, md Scott was astonished
when l handed back bali the fee. This
had attracted the attention
of the lawyess and the court. Judge
David Davis, then OH our circuit bench,
called Mr.. Lincoln to him. The Judge
never could whisper, but in this in
stance ho probably did his best. At all
events, in attempting to whisper to
Mr.. Lincoln, hs'trumpeted his rebuke
in about these words, and in rasping
tones that could be heard all over the
''Lincoln, have been
you ard Lamon. You are i'm
poverishing this bar by your picayune
charges Of fees and the lawyers have
reason to complain Of you. You are
now almost as poor as Lazarus; and If
you don't make people pay you more
for your services you will die as poor
as Jobs turkeyr'
Judge 0. L. Davis, the leading law
yer in that part Of the State, promptly
applauded this malediction from the
bench; but Mr.. Lincoln was immovable.
THAT money" said Mr.. Lincoln,
comes out Of the pocket of a poor. de-
nented girl; and l would rather starve
han to swindle her in this manner"
That evening the lawyers got togeth-
,r and tried Mr.. Lincoln before moot
called "The Ogmathorial
Court" Hewas found guilty and fined
or his awful crime against the pockets
II his brethren Of the bar. Tho fino ho
,aid with great good humor, and then
Iept the crowd Of lawyers in uproar-
GUS laughter until after midnight He
persisted in his revolt, however, declar-
ng that with his consent his firm
hould never, during his life, or afterits
deserve the reputation en-
Dyed by those shining lights Of the pro-
ession, "Catchem and Cheatem. IN
z Voice.
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